B.C. Finance Minister Carole James and B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver announce rate reduction for Canadian citizens paying new property tax on homes empty six months of the year or more. (Black Press files)

99% of B.C. homeowners exempt from speculation and vacancy tax

The B.C. government has received nearly all declaration forms to opt out of the 0.5-per-cent tax

Only one per cent of British Columbians will be paying a speculation and vacancy tax, according to the B.C. government.

Based on declarations received so far from homeowners, a majority of those who will be paying the tax are foreign owners, satellite families and Canadians living outside of B.C., the ministry of finance said in a news release Friday.